Local hero honored

South Lake boy helped stop fire's spread

The fourth-grader at Lost Lake Elementary was playing outside his home April 4 when he noticed a neighbors' minivan was on fire, and the flames had spread to a second car in the driveway.

Alexander, 10, rushed to his neighbors' house to warn them about the blaze and kept neighborhood children away from the fire in the Lost Lake subdivision south of Clermont.

On Monday, the Lake County Fire Rescue presented Alexander with a Special Recognition of Courage Award for his quick thinking.

"As we got close, the column of smoke was so high that I changed the call from a vehicle fire to a structure fire," firefighter Ron Foley said during the award ceremony for Alexander at the school. "He [Alexander] actually prevented it from becoming a structure fire by warning the neighbors so quickly."

Alexander's mother, Melody Barbeaux, said she was at work when her son performed his "heroic" act. He also received a Principal's Award from Rhonda Hunt, Lost Lake's principal.

"I'm very proud of him," Barbeaux said. "She [Hunt] said she's never given out one of those awards before."

Alexander said he doesn't remember thinking about what to do when he saw the fire.

"Besides, my sister said I only have half a brain, anyway," he said with a grin.

His experience with firefighters hasn't changed his dreams of becoming a "professional football player or a lawyer," but he said becoming a firefighter would have one perk.